Saving Energy with Timer Light Switches

Lights get left on accidently all the time—and it raises our energy bills significantly as a result. So what’s the solution? Wall light switch timers automatically turn off your lights after a scheduled time. If your home life is hectic and your family tends to have a busy schedule (or is slightly forgetful), this is an easy way to save energy and costs.

How it works

If you’re already a little savvy on electrical systems, it’s easy! You don’t necessarily need to hire an electrician. Here are some simple steps to install a timer on your light switch:

Remove your old wall switch

Replace it with the new light switch timer

Identify the breaker that corresponds to the circuit, and turn it off

With a flat head screw driver, remove the wall plate

Remove the switch and follow the instructions to connect the wires

How much energy am I really saving?

Considering light switch timers use about 1 watt—quite a bit. Of course, your savings depend on how often/long you keep your lights on, so every household varies. But consider the following situation as an example:

You have a lot of spontaneous visitors, so your entrance light is habitually left on. It’s an 80-watt light bulb and is on about 8 hours per day—way longer than it should be.

80 x 8 = 640 watts per day

640 watts x 30 days = 19,200 watts per month, or 19.2 kilowatt hours

19.2 koliwatt hours x 12 cents per koliwatt hour = $1.92

Now, multiply $1.92 x all the light switches in your home. Let’s say you have 10 light switches; that amounts to about $19.20 per month—not to mention the money you are saving on replacement light bulbs. Not bad, right?

If you are looking to make your home a more energy-efficient one, contact us now. We’ll install timers on all your light switches to minimize your energy costs and consumption.